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† THE GLASS FACTORY. †
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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ AND A GIFT SHOP. ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ CONSIDERED POOR. £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ##£&£†^~~¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† SOME ARE SHATTERED. †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ †† ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ †† †† ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† †† †† †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ †† £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ##£&£†^~~¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ##£&£†^~~¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ LIT FROM BEHIND. £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ †† ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ †† †† ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ †† †† ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ †† ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ##£&£†^~~¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ##£&£†^~~¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† FLOOR. †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# BECOME STILL. #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## ##£&£†^~~¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# †† #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ †† †† £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ †† †† £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† †† †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~ ~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨~~^† THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK †^~~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨~~^†£ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND £†^~~¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨~~^†£& I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE &£†^~~¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨~~^†£&£ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? £&£†^~~¨¨¨
¨¨~~^†£&£# #£&£†^~~¨¨
¨~~^†£&£## I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ##£&£†^~~¨
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